December 20, 2017
FMPD presents PACE Center for Girls, Lee with Holiday Gift

(Fort Myers, FL) On Friday, December 15, 2017 Chief Derrick Diggs and members of the Fort Myers Police Department presented PACE Center for Girls, Lee County with an early Christmas gift in the form of a $13,000 check. Chief Diggs, in front of a conference room filled with PACE students and staff, handed over an enlarged check to PACE Executive Director Meg M. Geltner as title sponsor payment for PACE’s “Tides of Change” fundraiser. “The Fort Myers Police Department is here today to recognize a successful partnership with PACE Center for Girls, Lee County and we are proud to support a program of counselling and education for young girls and women in a safe and nurturing environment,” said Chief Diggs. “This program keeps girls out of the Juvenile Justice system, improves their academic performance and teaches girls how to make successful choices,” he added.

“Our relationship with the Fort Myers Police Department is invaluable to the success of our PACE girls, building positive impressions of law enforcement that reduces risk-taking behavior” said PACE Lee Executive Director Meg M. Geltner. “This generous gift reflects the deep commitment Chief Diggs and the FMPD has to our community and helps create a brighter future for our PACE girls.”

“Tides of Change” was held on Friday, November 3 at Marine Max in Fort Myers, and helped celebrate the Lee PACE Center’s 10th anniversary serving the needs of young women.

About PACE Center for Girls, Lee PACE Center for Girls is a Florida-based nonprofit organization and the only statewide prevention program for adolescent at-risk girls in the nation. The non-residential program targets the unique needs of girls, ages 11 to 18, facing challenges such as physical and sexual abuse, domestic violence, substance abuse, foster care, neglect, death of a parent, family history of incarceration and declining grades. In the past year, the Lee County program provided 117 girls with education, counseling, training and advocacy, resulting in 95 percent of girls in the program having no involvement with juvenile justice within one year of leaving PACE, 96 percent improving their academic performance and 93 percent remaining in school or obtaining employment three years after leaving PACE. As a result, PACE reduces the significant long-term costs associated with teen pregnancy, substance use, unemployment and long-term economic dependency.
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PACE Director Meg Geltner (far Right) Chief Derrick Diggs (third from right) with members of FMPD and PACE students.

J. Mitchell Haley
Public Information Officer
Fort Myers Police Department
2210 Widman Way
Fort Myers, Florida 33901